Let's Sing Or Hiss
by Blue Pen Obsessive
Summary: Harry meets a girl who's a parselmouth. They start a tentative friendship and help each other as they reveal their secrets to each other, and themselves. They help each other through the pain. They have a friendship that lasts through the years. CoS.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Not the first story I've written, but the first I'm publishing. Quite scared, but let's risk it, no? The title doesn't have much meaning. It's just the best I can thing of. I might change it later. If you notice any mistakes or such, please feel free to tell me. Even though I'm a decent editor, I'm not so good with staying with one tense. I've tried my best, but still... typos will be here, don't hate. For anyone who feels the need to know, this whole thing was written after I've took the SHSAT, the test for which decides whether I get into one of the best highschools in NYC. Wrote six pages in total that night for this story, though one scene will not come until much later. It all was written in blue pen ;D

Background: Chambers of Secrets, right after Ron and Harry talk to Malfoy and sees that he isn't the Heir and he doesn't know who the Heir is. The timeline might be a bit off since I don't have a copy with me.

**:words: **parselmouths

* * *

><p>It was just a little bit sad that the three had dedicated to this potion, only to find out that neither Malfoy nor anyone else he knew was the Heir of Slytherin. It wasn't it waste exactly. If they had not known this, they might have spent even more time seeing if he was, wasting time figuring who was the true Heir.<p>

Ron and Harry had an half an hour to let and really nothing else to do. While Harry was thinking about just taking going outside with Ron, pretending to go back to the Great Hall, someone entered the common room. Harry hoped for a moment that it was Hermione, but rather it was an unknown Slytherin. She looked to around her age, but he couldn't remember ever seeing her before. If he didn't, Ron probably wouldn't either, even if they did know her.

Her height would have almost reached Harry if he was actually Harry and Harry was short for his age. The hair covering her slightly dark, probably not completely British, if even, matched Harry's, but was not untamable like his. It reached mid-back, longer than most her age, and had a bit of a wave to it. Her eyes were a green, but not the shade dark shad as Harry's. Rather, it reminded Harry at the time when he looked at the sky, and for a moment, it looked green. Her robes were nothing fancy, unlike Malfoy's, who had embroiders of snakes all over it to make it look nicer than most.

Malfoy knew the girl somewhat and started talking to her.

"Hello Diane," he said, watching her carefully, as if waiting for her to do something extreme in that moment.

"Draco," she said, tipping her head slightly in acknowledgment. Draco seemed to be a little surprised by this, but barely let it showed. Harry wasn't sure how the caught it. "By any chance, are you talking about Harry Potter?" At these words, Malfoy did something Harry didn't think was possible.

Malfoy _blushed._

"I was only telling them," he jabbed his head towards him and Ron, "again about how Potter would be a disgrace to Slytherin if he was the Heir. He doesn't deserve to be a parselmouth."

At his last words, the girl started hissing.

A few seconds passed before laughing started from Malfoy.

"You really should stop hissing – idiots might think you are a parselmouth, with all you hiss. You can't be, obviously."

The girl gave a snort, one that hinted that she was being insulted and Malfoy looked a little uncomfortable, but only a little.

Ron and Harry laughed, having to keep up with the façade. But why Harry was laughing was different from the others. What only she and he would know is what made him laugh.

:Draco, do I deserve to be a parselmouth?:

~.~Let's Sing~.~ (or Hiss)

"That was pointless," complained Ron as he jumped onto his bed. The finally were in the safety of their dorms. It was a bit difficult getting here, but they had made it without anyone guessing they were in the Slytherin Common Room.

For a moment, Harry thought about telling Ron that the girl who hiss, Diane he believed her name was, was a real parselmouth. He decided against after thinking about it for a few moments. He probably wouldn't tell Hermione either – she'll just make this into a project. Ron would probably accuse her of being the real Heir of Slytherin. Harry didn't want anyone to know quite yet.

He known how he felt after everyone knew he was a parselmouth. Of course, he didn't know it was a dark skill of Slytherin at the time, but still. The way he felt when the Gryffindor looked at him with fear…

He didn't understand why the girl wouldn't tell anyone that she was a parselmouth. She was in Slytherin, she would gain respect and power there. Nothing like it was in Gryffindor.

He'll keep this little mystery for himself for now. He might tell Ron and Hermione later.

That brought something to mind…

"Did you see Hermione anywhere?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**How was it? Please take a few moments of your time to tell me whether this was good or not. Should most of the chapters be this long? This is about a page and a half of what's in my notebook, I have about nine left. I've added some to the story while typing though.

The story will go on at least to the end of Harry's second year, it might end at the third year. I'm planning to do until the seventh year, but things change, right? Goal right now is to end the second year and get the basics of Harry's and Diane's friendship. Don't worry, I've got a plot for each year, though this year might go quickly onto the third one.

Please, please tell me what you think and how to improve. I'm just a wreck of nerves right now. It's the day after the test that will decide my future and my first published fanfiction. If anyone wants, they can be my beta. Be extremely grateful to whoever volunteers, even if you're not the greatest. Just someone to help with the plot and the tenses.

Last thing, how was the descriptiveness of Diane? Describing my weakest link.

Now I'm just rambling. Sorry.

-Blue Pen Obsessive


	2. Chapter 2

Harry had to find a minute with the girl. Since Christmas day, he's been searching; thought not many days has passed. Talking to her now is a difficult task within itself – talking to her after the holidays would be even more of a nightmare.

That's not saying much, as it was already a nightmare. Ron was his best mate, but he had the feeling that he wouldn't want to spend his time looking for a girl that Harry has no reason to look for. Even if he wanted to tell Ron about her being a parselmouth (which he still didn't), they would just get into a fight as to why he didn't tell him before. He needed his friends right now, but he needed to talk to the girl just as much.

It wasn't fair of him shaking off Ron, but he was sure that Ron didn't realize it was on purpose.

One more day had passed and Harry still didn't find the girl. Not all that surprising, considering the size of Hogwarts.

Resigning his search for this to be continued another day, Harry decided to get some of his homework done. Hermione would be raving mad if she'd find out that he has put it off for so long – too bad that she wasn't here to help. Ron wasn't much of a help either – he just wanted to play another game of Exploding Snap.

Deciding that he didn't want to be with Ron finishing up the work right before the end of the break, Harry decided to go the library to finish the work. Some of his essays required more than what was in his books.

Harry went in, searching for a secluded spot. There weren't too many others that stayed for the holidays but most of them believed that Harry was the Heir and trembled in fear at the sight of him.

He almost stopped in his tracks when he saw the girl sitting in a table in a little corner. So much time looking, she was in the library all this time.

Just stopping himself of smacking his forehead, he should have realized that the girl might have been at the library. He didn't feel too bad about not searching. The library was huge, though not as much as one floor of Hogwarts.

He had no clue as to how to go about this. He was looking for her, not for the words to say to her. Right in front of him, he has nothing to say to her.

Choosing the most direct route, he decided just to place his bag right next to her. Her eyes turned up at him, a bit of shock in them, but said nothing. She eyed him suspiciously, maybe deciding if he would cause any harm. She looked at him for a little bit more before turning her attention back to the piece of parchment that she was writing on.

Taking a deep breath, Harry spoke to her, hoping that his words didn't carry his uncertainness.

"I know," simple words that would hopefully get cross some of his point. He suddenly wished that he could have thought of something more demanding to say, but that was all he can think of.

The girl looked up, slower than last time. He couldn't read her face at her; it was just a blank slant.

"Know what?"

He was still nervous and looked quickly around the table. He couldn't see anyone and he didn't want anyone to know this.

:That you can understand me.:

The blank look on her face was replaced with shock and it was in her voice as she asked him how.

He had so many things to ask up to that second. The things he's been planning on saying suddenly didn't matter. She knew and that was all that was important. Everything else would follow as it will.

Not willing to tell her about the adventure of the Slytherin dorm, Harry just shrugged before sitting down next to her.

She looked at him disbelievingly before taking a deep breath.

"I don't believe we've meet before," she said. "I'm Diane Reberath, first year Slytherin."

The girl put out her hand and Harry shook it. He was just a bit surprised that a Slytherin could be polite.

"Harry Potter."

Silence followed, but was broken by the girl quickly.

"Tell me a secret of yours. Only fair, since you known mine."

Harry's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Wouldn't it be good for you to be the Heir? Not for me, since I'm in Gryffindor, but for you, yes."

"Everyone thinks that I'm a muggleborn. It shouldn't be possible for me to be the Heir of Slytherin."

Harry vaguely recalled the whispered conversations – the first muggleborn in Slytherin.

"You're not."

"I don't know. I have no reason for people to know that I don't know if I'm a muggleborn."

It took Harry some time to realize what she was talking about.

She doesn't know if she's a muggleborn. She doesn't know who her parents are.

There are so many possibilities as to why she wouldn't know, but if she didn't want to share, he really couldn't make her.

"Doesn't that count as two?" The girl shook her head at this, but Harry continued. "I'll tell you two."

He understood why it technically was only really one secret. One was only important because of the other – the first came out, the second would only follow. Should the school find out that she wasn't a muggleborn, she would have no qualms about enlightening her housemates of her talent.

But… she gave him a reason. Nobody gave him a reason. Nobody told him why Voldemort went after his parents, him last year. He was 'too young' as Dumbledore told him at the end of last year. Even Hermione said to listen to them and that they knew best.

There weren't any reasons. But this girl, Diane, gave him one. Even if it was a small one, one that she wanted something in exchange for, it was still a reason.

"I didn't know I was a wizard until I got my Hogwarts letter. Before that, I lived in a cupboard."

Diane nodded. She said nothing else and went back to work.

Harry did the same.

* * *

><p>Just a word about how Harry needs reasons so much. When I was younger, my parent's never gave me reasons for many things, such religion and why I shouldn't talk to strangers, and because of that, I distrusted many of the things they say. An explanation, even a simple one, is far better than "You're too young." I hate that and I imagine that others do too.<p>

Please point out any mistakes, grammatically or plot-wise, so I can fix them. Please review so I can see what people think of this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3!

* * *

><p>Harry was trying to do his essay, he really was. But he kept on looking at the girl. Potions never captured his attention and he couldn't think of anything to say.<p>

So, like the brave Gryffindor he was, he blurted out "I'm not the Heir of Slytherin."

Harry almost regretted saying it so bluntly that the girl smirked slightly and was obviously amused, but her next words made him sigh in relief.

"I didn't think you were. You just don't seem like, when Draco describes you. I'm not the Heir of Slytherin either."

Harry was a bit surprised that Malfoy (took him a moment to remember Draco was Malfoy) would be talking about him to a first year, but decided that it wasn't as important as to why he should believe the girl.

He asked her and she just shrugged. "Why should I believe you? Besides, if I'm trying to make sure it doesn't get out that I'm a parselmouth, why would I go around turning people to stone?"

It did make sense to Harry and he decided that if the girl really was the Heir of Slytherin, he would figure it out. She didn't seem harmful at least; not as much as her housemates at least.

Diane seemed to take notice of his nearly blank parchment and the potions book lay in front of him. She asked if he needed help.

"I might be a first year, but I'm brilliant at potions," she assured him before she started explaining the text to him.

Her words were much simpler than the textbook and she didn't get frustrated when he didn't get something that was obvious to her, like Hermione did. He got it easier with her than with Hermione; she just explained it in a way that made more sense than her or Snape, though he really didn't explain at all.

Together, they managed to finish most of their other homework. Diane was not only brilliant at potions, but good with the charms and the defense work. Harry gave her pointers for the other subjects, seeing as he did nearly the same thing last year. The professors didn't change it up too much.

Diane didn't act as rude and arrogant as the rest of her house; she didn't make snide remarks about his house (though it seemed as she was biting her tongue at times) and didn't make herself seem better than she was. When Harry pointed that she wasn't like the other Slytherin students, she reminded him that she was disliked by most of her house and that he didn't send much time with Slytherins in general.

She was really different from his friends. She didn't strive to stay ahead, just on top of things, and she found it's okay to have fun and not be too serious. She didn't remind him of anyone in his house, but she was in a different one.

It was actually nice to talk to someone in another house. Most just stayed to their housemates, but hearing about someone else's was quite exciting. There were many similar features to both of their houses, but just as many different ones.

"The stairs turn to ramps when a boy tries to go up to the girl's dorm?" Diane asked, laughing quietly as Harry described his dormitory. Diane did the same and Harry didn't say anything when he noticed that she left quite a bit out.

"Honest. I though all of the houses have that."

"Well, Slytherin doesn't and I don't think the others do either."

Diane was a nice person to hang around with. She was funny, but not too distracting that he couldn't focus on anything else. She was calming to him. Made him forgot that half of the school (and Gryffindors) thought he was out for the muggleborns.

That's why when it was time to leave, Harry was almost sad to pack of things up and go back the dorm. Yes, he has finished more than he expected, almost all, but he felt that once they leave, they won't meet ever again. Maybe they would see each other in the hallways, maybe they would bump into each other and awkward apologizes would be made.

Or they could find places to talk. They could find times where no one can find them and just talk. They could become friends.

Harry didn't have friends before Hogwarts. Now he had ones that wouldn't turn against him for anything. They were his best friends.

He wanted Diane to be one of them.

"When do you want to meet up next?"

Harry felt weird and embarrassed that he assumed that she wanted to talk to him as much as he wanted to, but he didn't let it show.

"You don't like all the staring that you get in the Great Hall, right?" Diane asked him.

Harry didn't know why she wanted to know that, but he nodded anyways.

"Because the whole house of Slytherin doesn't like me, I've been getting food right at the beginning of lunch, because most days I don't class before lunch, and taking it to eat in the empty classrooms. If you want, you can eat lunch with me. I'll get a little more food so we can share.

"You could bring your friends if you want."

The last part was an obvious afterthought and Harry found himself not wanting to introduce to his friends just yet.

He wanted Diane to be his friend, but she was still a parselmouth and could be the Heir of Slytherin. He wanted to be sure that she was really his friend.

He wanted her to really be his friend.

"I'll rather it just be us," he told her as she led him to the unused classroom that she ate her lunch.

She smiled and Harry realized that she might not want his friends to be there, but still offered.

Maybe she wanted to be his friend as much as Harry did.

* * *

><p>Please review and point out any grammar mistakes. If anyone wants to know exactly what I'm going to do with the story, just PM me or something. For anyone who doesn't want to know too much, just know it's going at end the earliest third year.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** As you can see, I'm updating. Don't expect it be on a regular schedule though. Between school and other things, including laziness, so it won't be so often. Offer anything you have to offer in the reviews, tell me mistakes, anything of that sort.

-Blue Pen Obsessive

* * *

><p>Maybe she wanted to be his friend as much as Harry did.<p>

The lunch of the first day back to classes, Harry told Hermione and Ron to go on without to the Great Hall.

"Harry, I know it's difficult, but you shouldn't be skipping meals. It's not healthy and you're already so small –"

"I'm not skipping lunch; I'm just eating somewhere else. If you don't believe me, I'll promise that I'll be there for dinner, okay?"

Hermione blushed at how he was responding, finally realizing how she was sounding to him, but that didn't stop her.

"You better be there for dinner. Where are you going?"

"I'll explain later, okay? I'll promise I'll eat dinner with you guys."

Hermione never had a chance to respond. Harry was already walking away, waving back at them.

Ron started tugging at Hermione's sleeve. "Come on; let's get to the Great Hall."

"Ronald, you're best friend is skipping lunch and all you can think about is still food."

~.~Let's Sing~.~ (or Hiss)

The classroom Diane showed him was not in the dungeons. For all the things he could explain, a reason for being in the dungeons when he should be eating is not one of them, especially to Professor Snape.

It was the same floor as the library. Diane told him the short story of the adventure finding the classroom.

Diane spends quite a bit of time in the library, mainly for the fact that most of the students in her year didn't like to socialize with her. Only student she really talked to was a Ravenclaw who was more of an outcast than she was.

No food is allowed in the library, so she spent her time nicking food and eating in odd places. One of the most common of odd places was the corridors of the school. The hallways were usually empty during this time of day, so she didn't have trouble finding one. She stuck close by the library, since she spend so much time there, and one corridor led to another until she found a empty classroom. It wasn't the only one she has ever found, but one of the more secluded ones. It was too far in the empty part of school for anyone to want use of it.

Diane promised to be waiting for him at the most outward corridor, to show him once again how to get by.

"But," she promised, "this is the only time I will do this for you. The rest, it's your responsibility not to get lost."

Sure, enough, the dark girl was waiting for him at the corridor with her schoolbag looking a big larger than usual.

"Let's go," she said softly before heading into the long and many hallways.

He vaguely recognized the way from before. The trip, much like this was, was traveled in silence.

It was comfortable, unlike most of the silence he experiences now. The silence was created harshly, the whisperings stopping the moment he walked in.

Soon enough, they reached the big but old wooden door. Diane reached out to open it for him.

"Thank you," he said quietly, entering the room.

The door made a creaking noise when closing it, with a soft thump when it reached it originally spot.

The unused classroom was different than the ones he had classes in. Though each classroom had its own unique factors, each one had one in common. Each could seat at least thirty students. This one looked like it could maybe seat ten students with a teacher's desk.

Its walls were a paling light brown with a window on one. The ceiling was a plain white and the floor wooden, holding up three small desks with three chairs, all wore out.

"Sit down," Diane suggested to Harry, waving her hand towards the group of chairs.

As Harry did, a bag of food appeared before him.

"I'm not sure what you want, but you can take whatever you want, just as long as you leave something for me."

She took out an apple and Harry was free to take a look inside the bag.

There was nothing really inside that needed anything but hands to eat. There were more fruits inside, some sandwiches, and some chocolates. He took out two sandwiches and began to eat.

Harry looked over to Diane, sitting in one of the other chairs. She wasn't sitting normally; her back wasn't to the back of the chair, it was on the side. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and Harry realized just how small she was to do that without being in danger of falling off.

Harry could never insult someone for their size, since he was one of the smallest of his year. He was growing faster than he has ever done before, because of the food Hogwarts provided and Madam Promfrey's nagging, but he was still behind the others.

The girl was even tinier than him. It was embarrassing to admit, but most of the girls he knows are a bit bigger than him. This year, however, he was reaching catching up.

"You're really small," Harry blurted out.

Diane looked up from her bite of the apple. The time she took to chew seemed to last forever.

How could he ask that? Of all the things he could have said, he told her that she was really small. He doesn't even understand why he did. It was going through his mind, but why?

"I've noticed."

She said that with a smile. She isn't mad with him, though it wouldn't make sense if she was. So what she's small? It doesn't matter.

"I'm sure I'll catch up in growth. Surprisingly, I'm one of the oldest in my year, though also the smallest."

"Really?"

Stop with these responds, contribute something to the conversation.

"Yeah, I was born in September, near the end. Just month before and I would have been in your year."

The girl was only three months younger than him, but she was so small.

Okay, the fact that she's really small isn't going to affect him all that much.

"How are you adjusting back to the classes? Must be hard not to goof off all the time, huh?" Diane asked, teasing lightly in the end.

"It's not that bad getting used to it again. I'm used to waking up to a strict schedule, so that's not too difference."

"Hmm, me too. Wake up at half past six every day. Go back to sleep sometimes, though."

Silence. Harry realized that he really made friends before. Ron and he just became friends because of the train ride and Hermione because of the troll. They just became friends; there was no leading up to it. It happened and it was done. Rest of Gryffindor just accepted for because he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Diane wouldn't just happen. They would take time and become friends.

Harry found that for all the silences that they might have, he didn't mind.

~.~Let's Sing~.~ (or Hiss)

They finished eating and Diane gave him a bottle of pumpkin juice.

"I've had them from the train ride and they're just so useful," Diane told him while throwing him the juice. Harry caught it without a hesitation.

"Good reflexes."

"I need them. I'm a seeker and need to avoid getting hit."

"I've only been to one game for Quidditch. Flying seems alright, but the sport I've got no love for. Football's much better."

"You're like one of my housemates. He's a muggleborn and tries to convince everyone to learn about muggle sports."

"Well, they make much more sense. You don't try to hit a ball at someone so they could fall to the ground. Quidditch never made much sense to me."

"Football doesn't to me."

"I thought that you were raised by muggles though."

Silence came once again. Harry was raised by muggles. He doesn't have a reason for why he's lacking so much in muggle knowledge. With purebloods like Ron, they think that he's a muggle expert and Hermione wasn't interested that much with finding out why Harry was lacking things that she was probably also.

He couldn't explain that he never liked football because Dudley used take it and kick it into him before just kicking Harry himself.

"I was; just never had any interest in sports that I'm not too good at. How come you know that I was?"

"Common knowledge throughout Hogwarts."

"Try not to believe everything that's said."

"I won't, if you can provide me with the correct info."

"I don't mind at all."


End file.
